Health Dept places over 9k medical interns, community service practitioners

The Department of Health has concluded the process of placing medical interns and community service applicants on the Internship and Community Service Programme (ICSP) due to commence in January 2024. 

all successful applicants have been notified

The department said all successful applicants have been notified accordingly. 

The department said it received 10 386 applications through an online application system, of which 10 228 were South African citizens, including permanent residents and 158 were foreign nationals. 

priority should be given to South African citizens

The department said 9 395 applicants have since been placed, including medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals at health facilities throughout the country. 

“The majority of posts were allocated to rural and underserved areas, in line with the philosophy of promoting access to Universal Health Care. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to take up those positions where they are allocated to serve the people of South Africa.

“The department tried hard to accommodate the applicants’ choices of placement. However, everyone can’t be placed according to their choice areas and provinces of preference.”

The allocation process, the department said, was conducted in line with the relevant employment laws and guidelines, which prescribe that priority should be given to qualifying South African citizens.

ALSO READ: Important info on South Africa’s two-pot pension system

This is followed by permanent residents and lastly, foreign nationals who wish to pursue their career in South Africa.

In addition, the department urged all students who wish to further their health science studies outside the country to ensure the institutions they wish to enrol in offer academic programmes that are aligned to the curriculum and eligible for registration with the relevant South African statutory bodies. 

This, according to the department, is aimed at preventing avoidable registration challenges once they complete training.